SOUTHPORT 0 AFC WIMBLEDON 1
Despite playing some excellent football, Southport were
denied a victory on their return to the Blue Square Bet
Premier at Haig Avenue on Saturday when they went down to
the only goal of the match against AFC Wimbledon.
It could be argued that the result was a gross miscarriage
of justice as The Sandgrounders were denied two clear penalties;
a handball on the line in the first half which the referee
admitted to Liam Watson that he didn't see, and an obstruction
on Allan Collins in the penalty area towards the end. A
more experienced, or less honest, player might have gone
down, showing that honesty does not pay in football. As
if this was not enough, the referee gave a spot kick to
The Dons in the 44th minute when video evidence showed that
Luke Moor actually tripped over the ball and was outside
the area anyway.
Far from subscribing to the Brian Clough School of Fairplay,
as they purport to do, Wimbledon had more in common with
their Crazy Gang ancestors. So many defenders put their
arms around Matty McNeill in an attempt to stop him jumping
for the ball, he must have felt he was playing against the
Gay Liberation Front. Andre Blakeman was lucky to stay on
the pitch for his constant fouling of Ashley Winn and the
grotesque foul by Lee Minshull on Alan Moogan richly deserved
the instant red card it received, the only thing the incompetent
referee got right in the whole match.
The Dons' three yellow cards against the home side's none
told its own story. The Port started the match in fine style,
dominating the first half, and it was the visitors who resorted
more to the long ball game. After Joe Main ballooned over
the bar after 17 minutes, they didn't threaten until the
penalty at the end of the half and justice was done when
it was brilliantly saved by Tony McMillan. Ashley Winn missed
the best chance when he failed to convert a pass from Tony
Gray with only the keeper to beat but he almost scored at
the end of the half when his free kick was saved by Brown
and scrambled for a corner by the aforesaid hand of a defender.
The Dons were much more competitive after the break and
McMillan saved well from Yakubu. Gray had a shot fumbled
for a corner by Seb Brown on 50 minutes but was taken off
shortly afterwards with a broken nose sustained in a rugged
challenge which is likely to keep him out for two to three
weeks.
The Wimbledon goal came in the 72nd minute. Robbie Williams
hesitated when a long ball came over, McMillan was slow
to come out to claim it, and it was easy for Christian Jolley
to turn it into an empty net. Southport threw everything
into attack in the final twenty minutes but to no avail.
In the end, they lost this game because of bad finishing
and one alarming mistake but if they continue to perform
to this standard they should be well safe from relegation
at the end of the season. A crowd of 1802, boosted by a
huge contingent from Wimbledon, made for a great atmosphere
at Haig Avenue and the entertaining football on display
bodes well for an exciting season ahead.
Man of the Match: Matty McNeil
